Stay safe: get your

BEST WAY TO PROTECT YOURSELF THIS WINTER – ESPECIALLY IF YOU LIVE WITH A LONG-TERM ILLNESS. GRAB THOSE JABS NOW

2022-11-30 -

Covid-19 and flu spread more easily in winter and can cause serious illness. So the best way to stay safe is to boost your immunity with vaccination. If you’re 50 or over, pregnant, or have a long-term condition you’re eligible for an autumn Covid booster and free flu vaccination.

“Flu and Covid-19 are unpredictable but there are strong indications we could be facing the threat of widely circulating flu, lower levels of natural immunity due to less exposure over the last two winters, and an increase in Covid-19 circulating with lots of variants that can evade the immune response,” says Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical advisor at UKHSA. “This combination poses a serious risk to our health, particularly those in highrisk groups. The H3N2 flu strain can cause particularly severe illness. If you are elderly or vulnerable because of other conditions you are at greater risk, so getting the flu vaccine is a senvaccines against these two diseases. Most eligible groups have been selected because they are at higher risk of severe illness.”

Many adults and children already get a free flu vaccination, which is important to keep up to date as the virus can change each year ( find out if you’re eligible at nhs.uk/wintervaccinations). Similar to primary school aged children, two- and three-year-olds are eligible for a nasal spray flu vaccination, provided they were aged two or three on August 31, 2022. They get the flu vaccine at their GP. Primary school kids usually have the vaccine at school.

Best protection

Professor Steve Powis, NHS England national medical director, warns of a possible ‘twindemic’ of Covid and flu, but says vaccines offer the best protection against it. “With many people in hospital with Covid-19, and flu posing an even greater risk this year, I urge everyone eligible to book both vaccines as soon as possible to protect themselves and their loved ones. With thousands of GP practices, local pharmacies and other NHS sites across the country offering both vaccines, it’s never been easier to get this protection.”

Remember, if you’re in an eligible group and not had your first or second dose of the Covid vaccine, or first booster dose – book an appointment online or visit a walk-in centre.

for something completely different, which showed nothing amiss. That changed really rapidly within a few months when I suddenly became very ill – I was exhausted and losing weight, with a raging thirst and constant need to go to the loo.

How did you react to the news?

It was so challenging to get my head round. I’d been in hospital before for minor things, where everything gets sorted and then you leave. Not this time. I was told: “You have type 1 diabetes and will need to inject insulin every day.” How often? “Five times a day.” For how long?” For the rest of your life. If you don’t, you won’t survive.”